I typed out a quick response to let my parents know I’d arrived at the cabin and planned to spend the rest of the day unpacking. I’d already brought in my luggage and the couple of boxes I had from the car.
I would soon need to find food for dinner. The gummy worms would only satisfy me for so long. Right on cue, my stomach growled.
Great.
I’d go into town tomorrow to get groceries and see what restaurants were around, but for tonight, delivery would have to do. I swiped out of the text thread and opened DoorDash on my phone. Unsurprisingly, my options were limited. As I scanned the list of four restaurants—and I’m usingrestaurantsloosely, since one of the options was a gas station—I settled on pizza. I couldn’t go wrong with pepperoni pizza with ranch on the side.
After placing the order, I turned my phone on silent and set it on the coffee table. I had about an hour until the food got delivered. I leaned back in the chair, closing my eyes for a moment and inhaling deeply.
“It’ll all work out,” I said to myself on an exhale. Things were already looking up. I mean, I had the summer in a cabin with a beautiful view.
I opened my eyes and got up from the chair, allowing myself to fully take in the space. The first floor was open concept, with the kitchen blending seamlessly into the living area. The wooden floors and the beams slanted across the ceiling made the space feel rustic and cozy.
There were floor-to-ceiling windows on the back wall, as well as a screen door leading to the deck. As I looked out the window, I already knew this was going to be my favorite part of the cabin. The windows framed a picture-perfect view of the lake, trees, and a path down to the dock. There were two Adirondack chairs on the deck—an ideal spot to sit and enjoy the sunset.
The kitchen was small, but everything I needed was nestled in the wooden cabinets. I had a full range of appliances, too. A color-coded binder on the kitchen counter contained information about the cabin, local businesses, and various activities to do in Golden Falls.
I made my way through the rest of the two-bedroom cabin, quickly falling in love with the place—and how quiet it was. No traffic, no honking, no people walking by.
The only place I didn’t explore was the basement. Nope. Not going down there. I was sure it was totally fine, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I had seen enough scary movies.
After hanging up my clothes in the main bedroom closet and organizing my toiletries in the bathroom, I made my way back to the living room. I crossed my arms over my chest, my eyes bouncing around the space. I kept thinking about how the furniture was set up in the living room. It made the room feel too big. Usually, that was a good thing, but since it was just me in the cabin this summer, I wanted the area to feel more intimate.
Maybe if I…
Unable to help myself, I gripped the arm of the couch and tugged it closer to the center of the room, ensuring it wasn’t too close to the kitchen. I then moved the coffee table and lamp closer to the couch.
With this small change, I’d be able to sit on the couch and watch TV while also enjoying the morning sun streaming in through the front windows.
Before going on the show, I was working for a boutique interior design firm in Chicago. Luxe Living was my first job out of college, and I had worked there up until leaving forParadise Love.
My initial plan had been to return to work after wrapping up the show. But after the breakup disaster, going back to work was the last thing I wanted to do. MyParadise Lovewinnings allowed me to take the summer off and pay for the cabin rental, while still having money left over. It also helped that my boss Cheryl was supportive of my decision to step away for the summer. For now, I was temporarily unemployed.
I really enjoyed designing, working with clients, and turning someone’s vision into a reality, but I’d been feeling uninspired. I needed to get back to why I loved interior design, which was helping people figure out what they wanted and bringing it to life. It was truly special seeing their faces light up when their dreams became a reality. I also enjoyed how interior design was like a puzzle and how rewarding it was to find the solution. Something as simple as rearranging a few pieces of furniture could really change a room.
Most of Luxe Living’s clients were wealthy, and it seemed like no matter what we presented them with, they weren’t happy. It was never enough, and they constantly wanted more.
I didn’t expect my job to be easy, but I did want it to be more fulfilling. I was a small fish in a big pond, and I couldn’t see the impact I was making.
And not only at work.
I felt small in the city, too. As much as I loved Chicago, it was overwhelming.
The opportunities were infinite—there was always something to do and new people to meet—but that wasn’t always a good thing. It was hard to focus on the present moment. I was always looking toward the future and focusing on ensuring my career was successful, because it seemed like that was what everyone else was doing.
I was starting to lose who I was, what I liked, and whether or not I was happy. I’d devoted so much time to my career that the rest of it didn’t exist.
I was looking to get away from the busy city life. Take a break to figure out what I wanted to do, and more importantly, who I wanted tobe. I’d return to Chicago after the summer in Golden Falls, but right now, I wasn’t looking ahead. I wasfinallyfocusing on the now.
And my current focus was signing into a streaming service on the TV and picking out a movie to watch while I waited for my pizza. I grabbed the remote and sat on the soft fabric couch, settling into the cushions. As much as I enjoyed the peaceful quiet, I needed some sort of background noise. I landed onSweet Home Alabama, a perfect second-chance romance comfort movie with Reese Witherspoon. I’d lost count of how many times I have watched it. I was over real-life love, but I could still appreciate fictional love, especially if it included a kiss in the rain.
“I wonder if there’s popcorn,” I muttered, pulling myself up from the couch—it was dangerously comfortable and easy to sink into—and walking over to the kitchen. I searched through the wooden cabinets until I came across the snack drawer stocked with chips, granola bars, hot chocolate, and…microwave popcorn!
I unwrapped the plastic and placed the popcorn bag in the microwave. I set the timer for two and a half minutes and started my search for a bowl.
Not too bad for my first evening in Golden Falls. All of it was almost enough to keep my mind off the mysterious, handsome neighbor I annoyed earlier.
Almost.
